Can a cuff that restricts blood flow speed up ACL recovery?
NCT ID NCT05735236
First seen Jul 13, 2026 · Last updated Jul 14, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
This study investigates whether using a blood flow restriction (BFR) cuff during physical therapy helps people recover strength and function faster after ACL knee reconstruction surgery. Participants are randomly assigned to either standard physical therapy alone or standard therapy plus a BFR cuff on the surgical leg. Over two years, researchers measure knee strength and patient-reported outcomes to see if BFR therapy offers any advantage.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- Blood Flow Restriction (BFR) Cuff
- What this could lead to
- If effective, BFR therapy could help people regain knee strength faster after ACL surgery, potentially shortening recovery time.
- What could go wrong
- This is a small, early-stage study (78 people) comparing BFR to standard care. Results may not apply to everyone, and BFR cuffs carry risks like discomfort or rare blood clots.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Phase
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Not a phased trial
Phase numbers describe drug development. The registry uses this when they do not apply, as it does for trials of devices, procedures or behaviour changes, and for observational studies.
- Participants
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About 78 people
The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.
- Started
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Nov 2022
- Expected to finish
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Nov 2026
An estimate. End dates often move.
- Lead sponsor
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Other sponsor
The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.
Who can take part
This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.
- Ages
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16 to 60 years
- Sex
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Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
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Not accepted
This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.
Show the full entry requirements Hide the full entry requirements
Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Inclusion Criteria: * Patients undergoing primary knee arthroscopy for ACL reconstruction without meniscus repair * Completing initial 12 weeks of physical therapy at the Steadman Hawkins Clinic in Denver * Patients with access to smartphone device Exclusion Criteria: * Bilateral knee surgeries to be performed within 12 weeks of each other * Patients received meniscus repairs, chondral lesion repair/transplants, * Prior surgery on the same knee * Anyone who meets the following contraindications for BFR therapy: * Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT) * Pulmonary Embolism * Hemorrhagic/Thrombolytic Stroke * Clotting Disorders * Hemophilia or taking blood thinners * Pregnant or up to 6 months post-partum * Untreated Hypertension * Untreated Hypotension * Rhabdomyolysis or recent traumatic injury 2\. Exclusion criteria will be evaluated via the medical record as well as by the expert opinion of the physician. 3\. If at any point in the study a subject develops one of the above contraindications, they will be removed from the study. 4\. If a subject becomes pregnant while participating in the intervention portion of the study, they will be removed.
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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UCHealth Steadman Hawkins Clinic
Centennial, Colorado, 80111, United States
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Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.
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